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ical frenzy。
Danny's nose wrinkled。 They were kissing peepees。 That made him feel sick。
A moment later and things began to run backward。 The boy whirled back over the axis bar。 He flipped the girl into an upright position。 They seemed to nod knowingly at each other as their hands arched back over their heads。 They retreated the way they had e； disappearing just as 〃The Blue Danube〃 finished。 The clock began to strike a count of silver chimes。
（Midnight！ Stroke of midnight！） （Hooray for masks！） Danny whirled on the chair； almost falling down。 The ballroom was empty。
Beyond the double cathedral window he could see fresh snow beginning to sift down。 The huge ballroom rug （rolled up for dancing； of course）； a rich tangle of red and gold embroidery； lay undisturbed on the floor。 Spaced around it were small； intimate tables for two； the spidery chairs that went with each upended with legs pointing at the ceiling。
The whole place was empty。
But it wasn't really empty。 Because here in the Overlook things just went on and on。 Here in the Overlook all times were one。 There was an endless night in August of 1945； with laughter and drinks and a chosen shining few going up and ing down in the elevator； drinking champagne and popping party favors in each other's faces。 It was a not…yet…light morning in June some twenty years later and the organization hitters endlessly pumped shotgun shells into the torn and bleeding bodies of three men who went through their agony endlessly。 In a room on the second floor a woman lolled in her tub and waited for visitors。
In the Overlook all things had a sort of life。 It was as if the whole place had been wound up with a silver key。 The clock was running。 The clock was running。
He was that key； Danny thought sadly。 Tony had warned him and he had just let things go on。
（I'm just five！） he cried to some half…felt presence in the room。
（Doesn't it make any deference that I'm just five？） There was no answer。
He turned reluctantly back to the clock。
He had been putting it off； hoping that something would happen to help him avoid trying to call Tony again； that a ranger would e； or a helicopter； or the rescue team； they always came in time on his TV programs； the people were saved。 On TV the rangers and the SWAT squad and the paramedics were a friendly white force counterbalancing the confused evil that he perceived in the world； when people got in trouble they were helped out of it； they were fixed up。 They did not have to help themselves out of trouble。
（Please？） There was no answer。
No answer； and if Tony came would it be the same nightmare？ The booming； the Tioarse and petulant voice； the blueblack rug like snakes？ Redrum？
But what else？
（Please oh please） No answer。
With a trembling sigh； he looked at the clockface。 Cogs turned and meshed with other cogs。 The balance wheel rocked hypnotically back and forth。 And if you held your head perfectly still； you could see the minute hand creeping inexorably down from XII to V。 If you held your bead perfectly still you could see that… The clockface was gone。 In its place was a round black hole。 It led down into forever。 It began to swell。 The clock was gone。 The room behind it。 Danny tottered and then fell into the darkness that had been biding behind the clockface all along。
The small boy in the chair suddenly collapsed and lay in it at a crooked unnatural angle； his head thrown back； his eyes staring sightlessly at the high ballroom ceiling。
Down and down and down and down to… …the hallway； crouched in the hallway； and he had made a wrong turn； trying to get back to the stairs he had made a wrong turn and now AND NOW… …he saw he was in the short dead…end corridor that led only to the Presidential Suite and the booming sound was ing closer； the roque mallet whistling savagely through the air； the head of it embedding itself into the wall； cutting the silk paper； letting out small puffs of plaster dust。
（Goddammit； e out here！ Take your） But there was another figure in the hallway。 Slouched nonchalantly against the wall just behind him。 Like a ghost。
No； not a ghost； but all dressed in white。 Dressed in whites。
（I'll find you； you goddam little whoremastering RUNT！） Danny cringed back from the sound。 ing up the main third…floor hall now。
Soon the owner of that voice would round the corner。
（e here！ e here； you little shit！） The figure dressed in white straightened up a little； removed a cigarette from the corner of his mouth； and plucked a shred of tobacco from his full lower lip。
It was Hallorann； Danny saw。 Dressed in his cook's whites instead of the blue suit he had been wearing on closing day。
〃If there is trouble；〃 Hallorann said； 〃you give a call。 A big loud holler like the one that knocked me back a few minutes ago。 I might hear you even way down in Florida。 And if I do； I'll e on the run。 I'll e on the run。 I'll e on the…〃 （e now； then！ e now； e NOW！ Oh Dick I need you we all need）
〃…run。 Sorry； but I got to run。 Sorry； Danny ole kid ole doc； but I got to run。 It's sure been fun； you son of a gun； but I got to hurry； I got to run。〃 （No！） But as he watched； Dick Hallorann turned； put his cigarette back into the corner of his mouth； and stepped nonchalantly through the wall。
Leaving him alone。
And that was when the shadow…figure turned the corner； huge in the hallway's gloom； only the reflected red of its eyes clear。
（There you are！ Now I've got you； you fuck！ Now I'll teach you！） It lurched toward him in a horrible； shambling run； the roque mallet swinging up and up and up。 Danny scrambled backward； screaming； and suddenly he was through the wall and falling； tumbling over and over； down the hole； down the rabbit hole and into a land full of sick wonders。
Tony was far below him； also falling。
（I can't e anymore； Danny 。 。 。 he won't let me near you 。 。 。 none of them will let me near you 。 。 。 get Dick 。。 。 get Dick 。 。 。）
〃Tony！〃 he screamed。
But Tony was gone and suddenly he was in a dark room。 But not entirely dark。
Muted light spilling from somewhere。 It was Mommy and Daddy's bedroom。 He could see Daddy's desk。 But the room was a dreadful shambles。 He had been in this room before。 Mommy's record player overturned on the floor。 Her records scattered on the rug。 The mattress half off the bed。 Pictures ripped from the walls。 His cot lying on its side like a dead dog； the Violent Violet Volkswagen crushed to purple shards of plastic。
The light was ing from the bathroom door； half…open。 Just beyond it a hand dangled limply； blood dripping from the tips of the fingers。 And in the medicine cabinet mirror； the word REDRUM flashing off and on。
Suddenly a huge clock in a glass bowl materialized in front of it。 There were no hands or numbers on the clockface； only a date written in red： DECEMBER 2。
And then； eyes widening in horror； he saw the word REDRUM reflecting dimly from the glass dome； now reflected twice。 And he saw that it spelled MURDER。
Danny Torrance screamed in wretched terror。 The date was gone from the clockface。 The clockface itself was gone； replaced by a circula